A keyboard in which, when one of the function keys is depressed simultaneously with one of the character keys, the signal generated by the depressed function key is fully transmitted before the signal generated by the depressed character key commences to be transmitted.
In keyboards of the prior art arranged for two keys to be depressed simultaneously, as disclosed by Ayres in U.S. Pat. No. 3,225,883, and by Stewart et al in British Pat. No. 1,492,538, only character keys are depressed simultaneously, and depression of two keys simultaneously may result in a signal not related to either of the depressed keys. Thus keyboards of the prior art with conventional arrangements of keys require two key-strokes for one function followed by one character, whereas for one of several functions, followed by one character, the keyboard of this invention requires only a single key-stroke. This result is achieved by delaying transmission of character signals until an associated printer has completed the function. With simultaneous depression of the space key or bar, and one character, the keyboard of this invention reduces by about 20% the number of key-strokes required for a given text, and if the shift key and a character key are simultaneously depressed a further reduction is obtained. An untrained operator can use the keyboard in the conventional manner, and with brief training can use the improved features of the invention.